Tom has a huge link dump for the just completed second New York Comic-Con, and when we were down and out and too sick to go on we knew it would be okay because afterwards we could just read about what we missed online. Almost better than the real thing. Anyway, you are probably already linked-out but here are a few to grow on:

Man, the Comic Con was intense. I thought the Angoulême comics festival last month in France was overwhelming. But that was a spa in the desert compared to this shindig. Here. I tried to capture a brief moment for you in film. To get the full effect you should attach your computer to some industrial strength speakers and turn the volume up full blast. I was confused for a while. It wasn’t just comics. Every other person was dressed like an Imperial Storm Trooper, or Princess Leia. There were video games, World Wrestling Federation champions, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. It was a hellish melange of popular culture at its most nerve-shattering.

It raised the question of whether the practice of collecting and reading comics stands a chance in an age in which the younger generation has so much else to choose from. The comic industry, after all, is a mature one–most of the NYC ComicCon attendees perusing the classic comic books and tie-in toys were clearly grown-ups. I stopped to speak with two thirty-something men who were ogling a display of Marvel superhero figurines and asked them which they were interested in. “The little ones,” one of them said. “We both have kids now.” But the majority of under-18s (under-25s, even) at ComicCon focused their attention elsewhere. “That generation is lost,” said Vincent Zurzolo, chief operating officer of New York-based comic retailer Metropolis Collectibles. “They like playing video games.”

Let’s talk about Wizard and how I was mildly impressed by them. Why? Because they were asking people to fill out a very detailed survey at the NYCC. Wizard knows they ain’t been doin’ right, folks. And it looks as if they are really trying to make an attempt to fix things. The only problem is that I don’t believe that the people working at Wizard have any idea how to go about fixing things. They simply know that things need to be fixed. The survey contained a great deal of questions about the usual topics (age, gender, race, class, hobbies, purchasing habits). It seems as if the company is actually trying to find out about all of the different types of people who read comics and what kind of magazine would interest those readers. That’s a huge step forward for a magazine that spent an exorbitant about of time catering to sexually repressed fanboys who abhor any type of change.

I’m glad to say the 2007 NYCC was better. Just that — better. Not good enough for the east coast, and not good enough for New York City, the roots of the American comic book medium. But better.

Reed booked twice as much space at the Javitz Center, but then they decided to have maybe four times the events. Stephen King, an anime festival, Stan Lee, all kinds of bells and whistles that would make for a great show if they only had the space.

At the NYCC “DCU: A Better Tomorrow – Today” panel, DC Executive Editor Dan DiDio may have let the cat out of the bag. DiDio was asked if in the Countdown teaser image The Flash was Barry Allen and Red Robin was Jason Todd. DiDio got flustered before answering “yes.” This drew icy stares from the rest of the panel members and applause from the crowd. DiDio’s mic was taken away for the remainder of the panel. The final question for the panel was “Who would you like to kill during Countdown?” and Greg Rucka closed the panel by looking at DiDio and saying, “I’m looking at him.” A good time was had by all.

ComicSnob has the WORST time although this level of hate is a distinct minority.

We wound up doing about 40 interviews, as well as covering the red carpet at the first-ever American Anime Awards. Now, I’ve been to the Eisners and I’ve been to Harveys when they were at MoCCA, but neither awards show came close to how well-produced the American Anime Awards were. The show opened with his hypnotic Japanese drum performance that was absolutely amazing. How was it different than the comics award shows? First off, it only lasted an about an hour, where the others seem Oscar-like in length. Second, this had very cool motion graphics and video clips for each nominee. I freely admit that anime is not really my forte, so what really amazed me about the whole event was how excited the fans got. They were screaming and cheering and going wild each time a nominee was announced. Gotta love that passion.

Hayden Panettiere’s ass stops me dead in my tracks. I’m on the phone, standing outside the Special Events Hall at the New York Comic Con Saturday night and this vision in blue shimmies by, the globes of her butt cheeks rolling back and forth together as she walks through the corridor, flanked by red-shirted Comic Con volunteer goons. They gave her the wrong superpower on Heroes, but whoever put her in that cheerleader outfit is a man after my own heart.

Yeah, that’s the kind attitude that has comics in its current state; I refuse to think like that. The demographics for collecting overpriced back issues and graded books is what is dying. What he fails to mention is that more people actually seem to be reading comics in any format.

Don’t tell me my sons (ages 24 and 12) aren’t reading comics. They are. They do like playing video games, too, but they love reading comics. Well, my older son prefers manga, which ties in with his strong interest in anime. Fact is, give the kids a chance and some good material – they’ll read it. And if they aren’t going to the shops, they’re getting their comics at the library, guys. Libraries account for about 10% of all graphic novel sales, according to the ICv2 figures I heard at NYCC. And this segment of the market is definitely growing.

The American Anime Awards show was more entertaining than I thought it would be. With “mainstream” presenters like Conan O’Brien’s Pierre Bernard (and his Recliner of Rage) and Project Runway’s Chloe Dao (who also designed the gowns for the show’s nine female voice actress hosts) and an eye for airing the show on the Anime Network at a later date as well as webcasting it with IGN.com, they really went all out. I spoke to ADV CEO John Ledford at the pre-show party and he told me several interesting things (that I’m not going to repeat here) which made me believe that the Anime Network is definitely in the long haul and has an interest in making the awards show as much a staple of the anime con year as masquerades and AMV contests.

Another thing I was highly impressed with was exactly how well everyone “suited up.” Of course the presenters were decked out in business casual finery, but many of the attendees, industry representatives and press had also brought their A-game. I even had to run to Port Authority to get some nice costume jewelry to make my outfit complete. The invitation said “dress to impress” and they all did. I was never more proud to be an anime fan than I was that night.

Tim remarked on the enthusiasm in the crowd. I wonder how much of that was due to the open beer and wine bar for the VIPs…

I always liked staring up at the Hayden Planetarium: the glowing celestial orbs, the miasma of colors, the sparkling–

What? “Panetierre”? Never mind.

The problems I see with Wizard’s attempt to pick their readers’ brains is that a) those who still read Wizard are not likely those who are going to guide them away from what painted them into that corner; and b) it’s a truism that those willing to answer surveys are unlikely to be those to whom you wish to cater. Put those two factors together and I don’t foresee anything more than glacial change.